Alberni Valley Rescue Squad

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Alberni Valley Rescue Squad

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The Alberni Valley Rescue Squad (AVRS) is a search and rescue team based in Port Alberni, BC.

Our hall number is 250-723-3260.
***For HALL RENTAL please contact us at [email protected]. Please note that we no longer rent for parties involving food or alcohol. The Alberni Valley Rescue Squad (AVRS) is a search and rescue team based in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada. The team consists of approximately 40 volunteers skilled and trained in search and rescue operations in a variety of settings. The AVRS performs approximately 25 search and rescue operations annually. The team provides search and rescue services to:

Emergency Management BC (EMBC)
RCMP and Municipal Police
BC Ambulance Service
Mutual aid to other search and rescue teams
BC Coroners Service
Fire Services
To contact the team for a search and rescue emergency call 9-1-1 and ask for police.

10/12/2026

Yesterday Alberni Valley Rescue Squad was tasked to locate an over due hiking party late in the evening. The party had set out to hike Mount Klitsa in the early afternoon and was not prepared to spend the night.

In the early hours of the morning just before 2 am, an AVRS ground crew was able to locate their vehicle near one of the three trail heads to Mount Klitsa and shortly thereafter the subjects.

This incident is a good reminder that we are very much into fall weather. The days may be warmer but as soon as the sun sets the temperatures quickly start to drop. In the alpine temperatures are dipping below freezing. Making an unplanned overnight hike potentially dangerous with exposure to the cold.

When you set out for a day hike, it’s important to leave earlier in the day as the day light hours are shorter.

Even if you don’t plan to be out overnight always be prepared with the essentials and importantly extra layers.

Leave a detailed trip plan. Before you head out be sure you have notified someone of where you are going, when you will get back and all other pertinent details (the trail name, the vehicle you are taking, the number in your party, the gear you have, etc).

Be prepared and stay safe. Check out BC AdventureSmart for more details about Trip Plans and Taking the Essentials.

https://www.adventuresmart.ca/the-three-ts/

-AO

09/30/2026

Today, on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, members of the Alberni Valley Rescue Squad took part in the walk through our community to honour Survivors, remember the children who never returned home, and recognize the ongoing work of reconciliation.

We live, work, play, and serve on the traditional territories of the Nuu-chah-nulth-speaking peoples. These lands and waters hold deep histories, cultures, languages, and teachings that existed long before our organization, and our community, were here.

As a volunteer emergency response organization, we have a responsibility to not only serve the people and communities around us, but to understand the history of the place we call home and the responsibilities that come with being here.

Tonight, we are pausing our regular practice to make space to stop, listen, learn, and reflect.

Reconciliation is not a single day or a single walk. It is an ongoing commitment to learning, building respectful relationships, and taking meaningful steps toward a better future.

We remember. We listen. We walk together. We reflect. 🧡

-AD

09/05/2026

Rescue Recap - West Coast Trail

Yesterday’s call on the West Coast Trail was a multi-agency coordinated response.

Initially, Parks Canada Visitor Safety Team was deployed to reach the subject at kilometre 72, near the area also known as the Old Steam Donkey. The subject had a suspected lower limb injury and were in an area where a traditional stretcher carry was not an option.

The Visitor Safety Team gained access, stabilized the patient and assessed the need for a CDFL/Hoist team.

JDF SAR was also tasked to support this call. However, it was determined that the CDFL/Hoist team was required. AVRS responded along with ASAR and Ascent Helicopters, and ultimately the decision was made to hoist the patient out. The patient was then transferred to BC EHS and taken to a higher level of care.

From the initial call to getting the subject to definitive care, this was a team effort. A big thank you to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Parks Canada Visitor Safety Team, Ascent Helicopters Ltd, Arrowsmith Search And Rescue (ASAR) and Juan de Fuca Search and Rescue, for working together and making the rescue happen.

Different agencies. Different roles. One goal. Safe patient care.

-AO

08/30/2026

Another call to Triple Peak — and an important road closure reminder

Yesterday, Saturday, August 29, AVRS responded to another call in the Triple Peak area after a hiker rolled their ankle near the lake, causing them to fall and sustain further injury.

With clouds moving in quickly, the team conducted a rapid assessment and determined the subject was able to bear weight. The rest of the party and nearby bystanders helped move tents out of the way, allowing Airspan Helicopters to land directly beside the subject. The subject was quickly loaded and flown out, while a ground team was also deployed.

5040 and Triple Peak have been extremely busy lately, and this call is another reminder that these areas can require a significant response from emergency crews.

IMPORTANT: MARION MAIN ROAD CLOSURE

Beginning September 1, Marion Main FSR will be CLOSED for bridge replacement, until October 3rd.

This means 5040 and Triple Peak will NOT be accessible and will be closed from the highway.

Please do NOT attempt to drive, hike, bike, or otherwise bypass the closure. The closure is there for everyone’s safety.

We are asking everyone to respect the closure. Do not put yourself, road crews, other people, or rescuers at risk by entering the closed area.

Respect the closure. Respect the mountains. And please respect the AVRS members who may have to respond if something goes wrong.

AVRS would like to thank ASAR for the mutual aid and Airspan Helicopters for their assistance with this call.

Please share this information with anyone planning to access 5040 or Triple Peak.

-AD

08/28/2026

In the very early morning hours on August 26th, Alberni Valley Rescue Squad responded to a search for an overdue hiker who didn’t meet up with their party on Triple Peak. Unfortunately, the subject was not familiar with the area and took the 5040 trail. Once realizing their mistake they started to head back down the trail. However, one wrong turn and the subject found themselves in a gully on 5040.

The subject was located safe by the Arrowsmith Search And Rescue drone team at first light on 5040 in a gully. Members of AVRS were then able to make their way to the subject on foot and assist them back to the trailhead. Thank you to the ASAR members who responded as well as the AVRS ground teams who hiked up both 5040 and triple peak looking for the subject in the middle of the night.

What the subject did right:
They Stayed calm.
Had safety, hiking gear and proper footwear.
They stayed put after calling for help.
Signalled the drone.
Stayed in the open.

If you are unfamiliar with the area please research it. Two popular routes are the main 5040 trail and further down the road is the trailhead to Triple Peak. Please be sure to download a hiking app and ensure you have access to an offline map. It is always best to hike with a group. Especially if you don’t know the area.

For more information on trail safety check out our friends at BC AdventureSmart.

-AO

08/25/2026

SAR Member-in-Training Applications are now open for Fall 2026

We are pleased to announce that applications for GSAR Members in Training (MIT) have now reopened for the Fall 2026 intake.

If you are interested in joining AVRS and becoming part of our team, we invite you to complete the online application form:

https://avrs.squarespace.com/take-action

Please note: All GSAR MIT applicants must have a minimum of a Basic First Aid certification.

Applicants will also be required to complete a criminal record check as part of the application process.

Once we receive your application, we will contact you with further information about the next steps and the interview process.

Thank you for your interest in GSAR. We look forward to hearing from you.

-AD

08/22/2026

August 20, 2026. Rescue on 5040.

Another rescue on 5040 yesterday, for a subject with a lower body injury. We would like to thank Airspan Helicopters and Arrowsmith Search And Rescue for your support on this call.

After multiple calls to 5040 this year and easily the busiest hike in our area. We think it’s time to talk honestly about the 5040 trail. This is not an easy trail and it is not beginner friendly.

It’s steep. It’s rooty. It’s rough. There are sections that require scrambling, good footing and the ability to safely navigate challenging terrain. The incline is relentless which means the decline is also challenging.

Before heading out:
🥾 Wear appropriate footwear.
💧 Carry enough water and food.
🌦️ Check the weather and trail conditions.
📱 Don’t assume you’ll have cell service. Carry an inReach or similar device.
👥 Tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to be back.
⏰ Give yourself enough time, and know when to turn around.
🗺️ Know the trail and have a navigation device or offline app
🎒 Carry the essentials and appropriate emergency gear
🗑️ Pack out what you pack in and leave no trace.

Know the trail. Know your limits. Be prepared. For more information on trails and how to prepare for your hike head on over to our friends at BC AdventureSmart.

-AO

08/20/2026

Rescue on the West Coast Trail

Alberni Valley Rescue Squad was tasked by Parks Canada late yesterday afternoon to respond approximately 1 km south of the Pachena Bay Information Centre for a subject experiencing a medical emergency.

Initially, AVRS responded with their regional CDFL team and Airspan Helicopters. Unfortunately, as is normal with August weather, the sea fog rolled in and thwarted the CDFL long-line rescue attempt. A secondary plan was quickly developed, and two members of the CDFL and advanced medical team made their way to the subject on foot.

The subject was medically assessed, and a plan to safely extricate them in the most timely but safe manner was developed. Another AVRS team arrived with rope gear, and the subject was safely extricated to the beach and stretchered back to the Information Centre.

The subject was transported by Bamfield Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD) to the nearby Bamfield Clinic for evaluation and treatment. They were later transferred by BC EHS to a higher level of care.

This call truly showed the caring and commitment of multiple people and agencies. AVRS would like to personally thank Tammy and Corey at the Pachena Bay Information Centre, who supported AVRS and allowed access to the Information Centre. Additionally, they went above and beyond, well past their shift, helping arrange food for everyone.

Another thank you to the cook who stayed late at the Bamfield Pub. We were delighted to have a meal to come back to!

Thank you to the bystander, David, on the trail, who cared for and waited hours with the subject, as well as Sky from Parks Canada.

We also extend our thanks to the multiple first responders from BVFD for your assistance, Parks Canada staff, Arrowsmith Search And Rescue as well as the BC EHS crews and the nurse at the Bamfield Clinic.

The West Coast spirit and kindness was so appreciated. ❤️

-AO

08/15/2026

5040 - Cobalt Lake - Rescue

The regional CDFL crew consisting of members from Alberni Valley Rescue Squad (AVRS) and Arrowsmith Search and Rescue (ASAR) responded by helicopter and hover-exited into the area.

Upon arrival, SAR members coordinated with members of the public to vacate their camping spots adjacent to the subject, allowing the helicopter to land closer to the scene.

The subject was assessed and found to be in stable condition. However, they were unable to hike more than a few hundred feet due to their condition. Once the helicopter had shut down, responders assisted the subject from the campsite to the aircraft.

The subject and their hiking partner were then flown back to town, where they were met by BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) for further assessment and care.

Thank you to Arrowsmith Search And Rescue for the mutual aid support and thank you to our own members as well. As well as we extend a big thank you to Airspan Helicopters.

-AO

08/07/2026

Alberni Valley Rescue Squad would like to commend Comox Valley Search & Rescue on their successful search and rescue operation over the last four days for the missing hiker in Strathcona Provincial Park in the Albert Edward area.

Following a mutual aid request from Comox Valley SAR, a small AVRS team headed out to assist today. This operation was a true example of interdisciplinary teamwork, with multiple teams working together towards the same goal.

Thank you to Comox SAR for extending the mutual aid request to us, and to everyone involved in what was a well-organized, thorough and ultimately successful search.

As other teams have highlighted, one important reminder for anyone heading into the backcountry: stick together as a group. One “no” is a no-go for the group. If one person isn’t comfortable continuing, the group doesn’t continue. Make decisions together, look out for one another, and know when to turn around.

A successful outcome is always the goal and sometimes that starts with making the safe decision before help is needed.

-AO

Address

4790 Tebo
Port Alberni, BC
V9Y7E6

Website

http://www.avrs.ca/, https://portal4484.wixsite.com/alberni-valley-rescu

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